Qatar 2022 high on Oscar's wish list
Date
1/16/2017 1:11:36 AM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Shanghai SIPG record signing midfielder Oscar says a return to Qatar for the FIFA 2022 World Cup with the Brazilian team is a possibility and is he working hard to make it happen.
The 25-year-old former Chelsea midfielder, who moved to the Chinese club for record fee of £60m, said he was also looking to come back for the second FIFA World Cup in Asia in six years' time.
'I hope that I will be here in 2022, playing for Brazil. I am trying my best to come back to the Brazil national team, and if I am in good form I will try to make the Brazil team in Qatar, Oscar said while speaking to www.sc.qa.
Oscar played in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil but did not get any match for the national team last year on account of injury.
Oscar was on his first visit to Doha as the Chinese side prepare for the season ahead. The Brazil international penned a huge £400,000-a-week contract and has linked up with his countryman Hulk at Shanghai SIPG.
'My first impression of Qatar is amazing, the hotel is fantastic and the pitches are ideal for playing football. Not just me but the club really love to do the pre-season here, Oscar.
'I think the people here in Qatar are excited, because the World Cup is one of the biggest events in the world, he said.
'In Brazil it was an outstanding experience, and here I believe it can be the same.
'It is great that everything is within a short distance here in Qatar, in Brazil there is a very big country with sometimes two hours of flight time. Here it is a small country with no travel which gives us players more time to recover.
Oscar is happy that he has set in motion a trend of some high profile players moving to the Chinese league which he says will bring forward the development of Asian football.
'I am one of the pioneers, along with those players who went before me, and I'm coming to China to help the league and help more players get to know this league, Oscar said.
'It is good for football that the game grows in new areas of the world. China has invested a lot of money in the league and every team now has good players. This will help raise the level of the league and football in the country.
'I haven't stayed there a long time yet, just two days in Shanghai, but the impressions were great, the buildings are amazing and it is a very nice city. My priority is to win the league this season.
Meanwhile, the skillful midfielder said there is a possibility he might return to Stanford Bridge.
"The club (Shanghai SIPG) was very happy with my arrival here. Everyone was very happy… I left Chelsea with the doors open.
"It was good for me, it was good for Chelsea, and all the parties were happy," Oscar said.
"Shanghai was happy too, he added.
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